Today, the United States joined a consensus in Geneva on the text of a
Protocol that addresses the problem of child soldiers. I am very
pleased with the final result, and I look forward to the early adoption
of the Protocol by the United Nations.

The forcible recruitment of very young children - some no more than 9 or
10 years old - into an increasing number of civil wars and other
conflicts shocks the conscience and shames humanity. By addressing
forced recruitment and the conduct of armed rebel groups, this agreement
strikes at the heart of the problem of child soldiers. Countries that
become parties to the Protocol would prohibit the use of soldiers under
18 by non-state forces, and would cooperate in rehabilitating and
reintegrating child soldiers into society.

The Protocol also deals in a realistic and reasonable way with the issue
of minimum ages for conscription, voluntary recruitment, and
participation in hostilities by national armed forces. The Protocol
would establish an 18-year minimum age for compulsory recruitment;
require parties to raise their minimum age for voluntary recruitment to
an age above the current 15-year international standard; and require
parties to take all feasible measures to ensure that armed forces
personnel who are not yet 18 do not take a direct part in hostilities.

This Protocol is an important advance for human rights. At the same
time, it fully protects the military recruitment and readiness
requirements of the United States. I am committed to a speedy process
of review and signature and to working with the Senate on this historic
achievement to protect the world's children.